


Green

by autumnsolstice9



Series: Colors [3]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 16:45:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7809646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumnsolstice9/pseuds/autumnsolstice9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sansa has spent her life trying to escape green.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Green

When Sansa first arrives in King’s Landing, she immediately tries to fit in with the southern ladies. She is determined to be the perfect lady- especially when in the presence of her betrothed. Whenever she sees Joffrey, she feels herself fall a little more in love with him.

 _He is beautiful,_ she thinks, looking deep into his green eyes. _He is the prince of songs. He will be my knight and I will be his fair lady and we will live happily together._

Sansa has come from Winterfell- a land that was full of white and grays, but never green like her prince. There were the trees in the North with green leaves, but they were dark and threatening- the woods of Winterfell were always more black than green. They are the home to Old Nan’s stories of grumpkins and wights, and so each light green in King’s Landing amazes her. There are so many different shades that she cannot name, and the typical Lannister green eyes are no exception.

Whenever she is with Joffrey- whether it be at a feast or an escort around the gardens in the keep- she likes to play a game in which she tries to name the color of his eyes. It keeps her occupied for her evenings when father is too busy for her and Jeyne Poole is visiting her father- for the times when she is left by herself in her room without Septa or anyone familiar to talk to.

It’s not often that she finds herself feeling alone with nothing to do but name the Lannister green, but it happens enough times that after a month in King’s Landing, she has decided that Joffrey’s eyes are emerald.

She falls asleep to dreams of children with red hair and green eyes like her prince’s, and when she wakes she has a smile on her face.

***

When Sansa sees King’s Landing after the Battle of the Blackwater, all she can focus on is the green wildfire that still burns the city. Part of her desperately wants to throw herself into it- she wants the flames to consume her and take her far away from the hell she lives in. _I am kissed by fire,_ she tells herself, _why should a flame hurt me?_

But this is wildfire, and it glows green instead of red, burning her eyes even from a distance. Only a Targaryen would think something as mad as being cleansed by fire, yet Sansa can’t help but stare from the safety of the castle and think that maybe, just maybe, a fire can burn away her pain.

She keeps her eyes on the green fire and clenches her hands into fists, thinking back to a time when she wanted green to keep her safe instead of destroy her. _I can lay myself into the flames, and when I am there no one- not even Joffrey- will be able to reach me. It will keep me safe, even though I’ll die._

Sansa spends the rest of the day outside wondering when she became a girl who would choose death over life. It takes her a moment to realize it started when she thought she loved green eyes, and then she spends the rest of the day crying, whispering that she is sorry she wished for more color than Winterfell had to offer.

When she sleeps, she sees her mother, and she spends the dream basking in the fact that for once, there is no green.

***

Green is the bruise that stands out on her face. With her Tully red hair and rose complexion, the green stands out like a light in darkness. Her fingers gingerly touch it, trying to cover it up with shaky hands when she looks in the mirror, but around the edges of her palm it peeks out.

Her handmaiden, Shae, gently moves her hand away and starts covering it up with layers of powder and other makeup, but Sansa stares at the bruise, transfixed.

“Shae,” she says, voice empty, “did you ever listen to the songs? When you were younger, did you believe what they said?”

Shae looks at her with big brown eyes, so much more comforting than Joffrey’s green, and shakes her head. “I never believed in the songs, but they were nice to listen to. It’s nice for people to have something to believe in.”

“I believed in the songs,” Sansa whispers, feeling herself break. “I thought a knight would come and save me, but I was wrong. I was a stupid little girl.”

She looks in the mirror and watches the tears fall down her face and over the green bruise that, despite Shae’s best effort, cannot be painted over.

***

Sansa has never loved green as much as when she watches Joffrey choke on poison, his throat turning green and purple, and hearing Cersei scream.

Even when she is fleeing King’s Landing, she keeps the image of Joffrey’s eyes going from emerald green to hollow and empty in her mind.

***

High in the Eyrie, away from the rest of the world, Sansa can pretend that she is safe. She has dyed her hair and goes by the name Alayne Stone, but she holds herself like she is a lady. Petyr Baelish calls her his daughter, offering her protection from outsiders, but she still feels wary around outsiders.

 _I can only trust Petyr,_ she tells herself late at night. _I am a Stark, and people hurt those who are Stark._ She thinks of the evil glint in green eyes as her father’s head was cut off, and she knows in her heart that it’s not the world who want the Stark name erased- just green and gold Lannister’s who know nothing but greed and violence.

When she breaks her fast with Petyr in the morning, she feels more at ease than she has in years. He has taught her how to rule a kingdom without being crowned queen- she knows his mind games and manipulation better than anyone else- and she feels powerful in a way that she never was before.

They eat in silence, comfortable listening only to the sound of the silverware on plates, and Sansa sneaks glances at Petyr, admiring his dark hair peppered with gray and the way his eyes hold mischief in them. He chews thoughtfully on a piece of mint- something he does every day, making his breath always smell pleasant- and she wonders if she kissed him whether or not he would taste that way.

She looks out the window, noting how there was no green outside- just empty air- and how anything green is miles below. Sansa is in the Eyrie, the knights of the Vale ready to fight for their new lord Petyr, and she is safe, miles above anything as green as the Lannisters.

She feels powerful, a queen in the sky, and continues to stare out the window.

Petyr’s voice breaks the silence, questioning “Alayne?” with a soft voice, and she feels high with safety, confidence, and power, so she leans across the table and kisses him.

When he kisses her back, she forgets that green ever existed.

***

Green is the color of Rhaegal, and when he lands in the Eyrie all that Sansa can feel is fear.

_This is my home, they cannot take this from me._

She has heard of Daenerys Targaryen and the sack of King’s Landing, she has rejoiced at the news that Cersei Lannister was dead, and she has wept tears of joy when the Dragon Queen took back Winterfell and gave it to Bran.

Still, when she hears shouts from outside her castle, her heart races and her head fears that it is somehow the Lannister army, coming to get her. When she sees Rhaegal, in green glory, she feels like throwing up- the dragon is the same color as the cold Lannister eyes that haunt her nightmares- and nearly does vomit when Tyrion Lannister slides off the beast’s back.

It is like seeing a vision from the past, and she wonders if Bran feels nauseous each time he travels into the weirwood trees. “Why are you here?” she demands, ignoring the fact that he has a _dragon_ on his side. She will not let another Lannister steal her home and loved ones away.

Petyr is by her side in an instant, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek. She relaxes into him slightly, enough to feel assured of his presence but still far away so she comes across as steel, unwilling to bend to some Lannister rule.

Tyrion’s eyes narrow when he sees Sansa wrap her arm through Petyr’s, but it is gone in an instant and replaced with an easygoing smile. “The lovely Sansa,” he says, as if he is greeting an old friend, “I am here on the Queen’s behalf. She thinks it would be best if her subjects agreed to her rule. I simply want the Eyrie’s support with Queen Daenerys.”

Sansa can’t look into his green eye- so similar to Joffrey and Cersei’s- so she stares at his black one, pursing her lips and nodding her head.

When Petyr and Tyrion go inside to further discuss what Daenerys has sent him for, she goes to her room and empties her stomach. After Tyrion leaves on the back of his green dragon, Sansa heads to Petyr’s room, seeking him for comfort.

She notices not for the first time that he has gray green eyes, and wonders why it doesn’t bother her on him, but then he is kissing her and she thinks that maybe Petyr’s green is different from the others.

Maybe Petyr’s green means love.

***

The next time Sansa sees green, it is the cloak Petyr places over her shoulders as they say their wedding vows. She herself chose the color- the Lannister’s were dead, and besides, with him she feels safe.

With him, she can act as if green never bothered her at all.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't actually ship petyr/sansa, but I think in certain scenarios it works. I've also seen some beautiful stuff for it like the petyr/sansa people have their stuff together
> 
> next is:  
> -sansa + pink  
> -jon/arya +black  
> -arya/jon +white  
> -jaime + gold


End file.
